


An Unexpected Interference - Outtakes

by MadameTortilla



Series: An Unexpected Interference [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-13 01:06:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3362102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameTortilla/pseuds/MadameTortilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of missing moments from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Interference. Various POV's. Beware of spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Language Barrier - Thráin

" _A story must be told or there'll be no story, yet it is the untold stories that are most moving._ ** _"_  
― in  _The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien_**

* * *

**Language Barrier: Thráin**

_**Missing moment from Chapter 9.** _

* * *

The first he hears is a rumble coming from above and then a deafening crack like lightening that shakes the very earth beneath his feet.

From there it's a blur.

Later, he remembers the clouds gathering, as the sky bursts open in a black and purple void, and a voice booms near him – it comes from  _everywhere_ , angry and frightening just as the one he hears in his dreams, though it's not to him that it whispers this time. Nonetheless, he runs, hiding under broken stone in a shadowed corner while the heavens are in chaos.

But it's useless to cower and crawl away; one last crack issues and he sees something fall in the distance, – though not too far away – right into the sick woods surrounding his prison, a small thing that comes from the void and quickly descends like stone into a bottomless pit. For reasons unbeknownst he stares at it transfixed, trembling from sudden bouts of clarity.

The void closes. He remembers a scream ringing in his ears, burning itself in his mind as another voice mingles - and he falls to his knees, quivering and heaving, his only eye wide open and focusing on the sky turned soft blue.

The rest is unclear, but soon there is a commotion coming from the woods: red, blue, green and white lights fly above the treetops while birds are scared away by an explosion – something is wrong, and it isn't just him that believes so, as ors and wargs come out from their hiding places, distracted by the ordeal. Something has been cracked or broken, and it allows him to near the edge of the fortress under the torn scrutiny of foul shadows until he's compelled to run away.

And then he watches for the longest time, until his memories are foggy again and there is nothing but bits and pieces that follow the strange figure clad in green and black from the gate to the heart of the fortress. It calls for him, desperate and ignorant of what lies beyond the crumbling passageways and damaged towers, running deeper into the ruins before he tries his best to overpower it, –  _her_ , he learns this soon enough. Though for all the stranger's power, it's surprisingly weak and feeble and easily bested -

Something falls from the green and black blur of fabric and travels down, lingering on the dirt for a moment before he lunges at it, unthinking, mildly crazed within his lunacy that it speaks to him about things he had forgotten long ago. With a swift movement of his hand he takes it before anyone else does and then screams, landing on his back.

Whatever it –  _she_  - carries stings and aches like wildfire burning in his veins. Snatching it from the cold stone floor is a grave mistake – or, perhaps, a blessing? - as he is left writhing and crying out, a surge of memories and other bitter things latching onto his mind while something else entirely leaves - slipping away in a rage before his body relaxes and he whimpers, staring at the ceiling with a clarity he hadn't known for a time.

Then, Thráin remembers his name.


	2. Language Barrier II: Thráin

**Language Barrier: Thráin**

* * *

 

They soar the skies on a broom, hovering above the top of the tallest trees in the Greenwood like two birds on the run, fleeing from their silver cage. Only his cage hadn't been silver nor gold, for dwarves know well the value of such things. Instead it had left in him a foul taste of corruption and broken memories.

This is reason enough for Thráin to remember how the wind whistled in his ears, or the fast heartbeats in his chest as they leave the shadow in the fortress behind. And while he cannot bear to glance at the rising peak in the East without the threat of tears or a yearning that seems to burn like dragon fire, it takes only a look below for Thráin to cringe, and he closes his eyes for most of the journey, clinging tightly to a warm body. There are finer things than flying to dwarves, who were made to tread on solid ground and mine riches below the earth.

‘Lass,’ he calls tentatively using the Common Speech, a useless answer to the woman’s heart-wrenching sob, feeling the quiver of a stomach beneath his hands, under green fabric. ‘ _Zardûna_ ,’ _witch_ , he says, aware that this is the language of his forebears, uttered aloud for a stranger. It is not done, but he addresses her so. She is dwarf-friend now, whether she realizes it or not, and Thráin owes her a princely debt. A _kingly_ debt.

Something worrisome flutters in his chest at the lack of response. It is not unexpected, though it is nonetheless unnerving. Perhaps he should try later when the air feels less greasy and the magic around them weakens. This is a different kind of magic, one that enables him to think with more clarity than the day before. Unlike the Necromancer’s magic, this is of a peaceful sort.

It is only after they're far past the dead marshes of the Gladden Fields that Thráin feels them swooping down. The sky darkens, covering the grasslands north of the river Anduin with dimming purple and then darker still. Soon it will become dangerous to cross this side of the Misty Mountains on foot or otherwise.

The deep breath Thráin takes as the air rushes past him is almost pitiful, but he relishes this small act of freedom as if it was his last.

 

****

 

They cannot communicate.

Thráin had realized this to some extent. The witch – for a witch she must be, he thinks in awe as a dome of magic covers them and a portion of the Anduin's bank – speaks a different language than he. It is unlike the Common Speech, but yet not quite. There is a remarkable softness to the words, as if the very rhythm is an unchanging pattern, accompanied by the odd inflexion here and there. It makes him wonder where this young woman hails. Thráin still remembers the sky darkening and a body dropping into the woods like a pile of wet rags.

_Unsas_ , he had called her, his voice flooded with emotion. For a savior she is, the blessing he did not deserve, for all his faults. _Mahd_.

And for whatever mysterious anguish the woman feels, Thráin can only offer his sympathies. A hand on a shoulder and then a weak embrace upon further kindness were not enough. That a woman from the Race of Men should offer to clothe a dwarf and shelter him from the cold was as improper as it was bold, though such a gesture was not lost on him.

Neither are her odd clothes, a soft kind of fabric that is cut too short for any woman he has ever known. Indeed, Thráin has many questions and no answers.

‘ _Menu denapdul_ ,’ he says as softly as the ever running waters of the Anduin. _You are honourable_.

Though it bears no significance, for the woman does not acknowledge his words. Perhaps the morrow will bring a new understanding, he thinks, lying on the soft grass with high hopes.

That night Thráin rests under starlight, sharing the warmth of a witch.

 

****

As it is, morning is kind to them.

He hears birdsong from afar, and raises his head reverently to follow their flight, slight brown and white arrows against the blue sky. Though his vision is blurred with unshed tears, Thráin stares upwards for a while longer as he lies on his back. He daydreams of sharing a hearty meal and a warm hearth with his kin, and then a feast throughout the night.

Heart swelling at the prospect, Thráin turns his gaze to the witch, studying her pale complexion and puffy eyes. She looks troubled even in her sleep, frowning like someone had crossed her. He notices the old leather bag the witch carries has been thrown aside, and while fears of witchcraft cloud his judgment for a moment, Thráin quickly quashes further doubts by remembering the kindness and good deeds he must repay.

Covering her with green robes, Thráin walks to the edge of the bank where he relieves his bladder, away from sight, for propriety’s sake. Fortunately, their meagre camp stands untouched by either nature or foe. There is no fire started yet or food to cook, but Thráin wonders if this the beginning of a blessed journey.

Later they have words. Introductions are made with haste and soon there is an agreement, a bargain struck over cooked fish and hesitant words that Thráin suspects the witch did not fully understand.

He marvels at her tricks and charms just as before. Not even Tharkûn dealt so loosely with magic.

‘Let this not be where we part,’ he had offered in earnest and humility. Whatever mist fogged his mind has long since gone. ‘I have great need of you with me. Unless you oppose the idea, it seems you have need of me as well, given our misadventures.” 

The witch’s reaction is as before: a deep frown and squint of her eyes, as if this would aid in their predicament.

It is fortunate they settle their matters without further ado, with Thráin offering help and shelter in exchange for safe passage to the Blue Mountains. He worries about the Necromancer, who they have likely angered with their escape from the ruins, but if any raids were dispatched to find them, they’re still half a day’s journey away. No servant of evil could possibly outrun this witch, he muses, staring shrewdly at the broom hovering waist-high over the ground.

On that less ominous note, Thráin starts a useless protest regarding the rules of propriety and chivalrous etiquette, which renders him a dull shade of red by the time they’re flying sky high again, tricked into comfort. He is not the one under strain, barely holding his weight with a limp.

‘ _Improper and unsuitable!_ ’ Thráin grumbles stubbornly under his breath. His only answer is laughter – something he thought never to hear again.

His hopes grow higher in the morning.

 

***

 

After the rabbit hops away, Beorn the shape-shifter glares at them from the gate with an odd suspicion.

‘You would bring evil into my lands, dwarf?’ he growls, baring strong teeth at the witch in a display that is frighteningly animal like.

Perhaps it is fortunate she no longer stands before the gate with them and ignores this exchange. For both their sakes.

‘Oh, no no, Master Beorn, we have no such purpose,’ Thráin almost pleads, throwing his hands in the air as an attempt at peace.

But the great man remains incredulous. His girth and height are such that he blocks the entrance easily, looming over Thráin like a tower of muscle. ‘How does a woman from the Race of Men travel above ground, and on a broom, no less,’ there is honest fear in the shape-shifter’s voice despite the scowl. ‘If not to spread foul over these lands? I have never heard of such magic.’

Thráin clenches his jaw stubbornly. How to expl– _where_ to begin?

Lacking response, Beorn manages to scowl even more powerfully.

‘I will not have you harm any creature within these lands, or else no army among men, dwarves or elves will be enough to shield you from my wrath.’

‘That is still not our purpose,’ Thráin repeats more firmly.

‘What purpose have you, then?’ the shape-shifter asks gruffly, his expression changing into something much less approachable. ‘And speak plainly, or leave my lands before night falls. Strange things have been happening as of late; strange folk are not welcome lightly, and you are stranger than the last folk who ventured through these paths. Who are you?’ he demands as an afterthought, more of a statement than a question.

With all the poise of the king he was not, Thráin straightens his poorly clothed back and says without hesitation: ‘I am Thráin, son of Thrór, descendant of the last rightful King Under the Mountain and of Durin himself,’ he introduces himself imperiously, startled at the endurance of old habits. ‘Seeking aid and safe rest before journeying to the Blue Mountains.’

‘And what of the woman?’ the shape-shifter replies after a heavy silence, examining the tattoos in Thráin’s forehead with an odd glint. ‘I have never heard of a dwarf travelling with a witch, King or no.’

Thráin nods. ‘Indeed, the finest bards from the White City could not weave such a tale,’ he muses quietly, single eye watering as he watches a figure clad in green robes over his shoulder. Then Thráin turns his gaze to the giant standing siege, who in turn send him a searching gaze. The fields are quiet save for the soft rustling of leaves, as if in anticipation for his answer. ‘But there are few I would vouch for, and fewer less to whom I owe my life twice over.’

‘I will let you in, Thráin son of Thrór; then we shall see if you are who you say,’ the shape shifter booms, after a pause. ‘And perhaps I might tell you a story.’

***

News of his son hit Thráin like a sledgehammer to the teeth.

‘Thorin journeys to the Lonely Mountain?’ he cries, gripping a large mug full of creamy milk with both hands.

Beorn nods gravely, brows furrowed from worry; no doubts great matters keep him restless. Thráin watches sharply as a dog walking on two legs – and what a strange sight! – refills the shape-shifter’s tankard for the second time and then returns to the hearth, where the witch sits quietly with other animals.

‘Not so long ago Thorin Oakenshield and his Company found shelter here in my lands,’ says Beorn. He too watches the witch with an even sharper eye, though now there is less wariness and more curiosity in his gaze. ‘Slept on the same ground you touch, sat on the same chairs you rest and ate from my larder for a time. A wizard travelled with him, but no longer as he had other matters of greater urgency, a tall fellow with a hat, calling himself Gandalf the Grey -’

‘ _Tharkûn_!’ Thráin breathes.

‘You know of him?’ Beorns asks gruffly, and Thráin lets out a whimper that catches the witch’s attention at once.

‘Aye,’ Thráin utters in a trembling voice, the emotion too strong for him to contain. A tear runs down his cheek and into his beard and then another, until he is sobbing noiselessly on his seat. Beside him, Beorn watches intently. ‘An old friend, Gandalf the Grey. One I miss and had forgotten until -’

Although his vision is half blurred with tears, Thráin looks over his shoulder to find the witch frown, and she too looks his way with a concerned gaze. Catching her eye, he shakes his head as a warning for her not to disturb them. She archs an eyebrow, crossing her arms in defiance, but otherwise stays put, and keeps on petting the animals. Her robes look a brighter green in the fire light.

‘Curse Erebor!’ Thráin growls all of a sudden, banging a bony fist on the table. ‘A curse lies upon that mountain and on the treasure hoard. What strange fate is mine; that I am to be told my heir lives on only to find he goes to his death.’

‘Indeed,’ the shape-shifter nods, still without taking his eyes off Thráin.

‘I will be ever at your service after this, Master Beorn. I beg of you to tell me more of what transpired under your roof and what plans were made and known to you on this fool’s errand. Perhaps I can still save him if luck wills it, as I was saved from the Necromancer when hope had gone.’

‘The Necromancer?’ Beorn booms, and the shock on his grim face is such that Thráin believes the shape-shifter has seen a ghost. ‘So the stories of a shadow in the old fortress are true!’

‘Aye, Master Beorn’ Thráin whimpers, nodding frantically with his eyes shut tightly.

‘This is ill news,’ Beorn states, gazing again at the witch. ‘Travel east and warn your kin of this evil. Perhaps they have not reached the mountain yet as I sensed no disturbance beyond the elf King’s lands; his forest is old and full of secrets. Thorin Oakenshield may have lost the path that leads safely outside the Mirkwood or he may have crossed the lake to the other side without peril. If luck wills it,’ the shape-shifter grips his tankard firmly, ‘and your luck seems to come in the shape of a woman. Tales of witches that fall from the sky are as strange as flying brooms, but I have seen one of these with my own eyes. I will help you, Thráin son of Thrór, and then make my own arrangements. Hard times are fast approaching for all of us.’

Thráin nods quietly. He understands all too well what Beorn means.

The ominous note in the shape-shifter’s speech hangs over their heads for quite a while. Both men, dwarf and giant, stay put for quite a while and drink silently to their own misery and that which will come soon.

Eventually Beorn leaves to scout the wilds, but not without giving Thráin a set of old maps with faded ink and yellow paper that show the several regions from the cold west sea to the Iron Hills, beyond the dragon in the Lonely Mountain, and the kingdom of Angmar. It is over these maps that Thráin cries, tracing the red lines of a dragon circling his home and then the mountain itself, worrying about his son and his kin, who have little idea of what is to come.

And three days later, when they are well rested and treat their injuries, – Thráin still wonders at what magic the witch uses to heal their wounds, watching in awe as she applies a poultice to any gashes in his body and they simply disappear – it is time to leave and find the Company of Thorin Oakenshield.

Later still, after he gazes upon the glistening blue eyes of his son and embraces him for the first time in almost a century, Thráin tells him of the witch who will yet save them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think of Thráin? Now that he’s much more fleshed out as a character, I’ve noticed the old man has a trickier mind than I expected. Very sharp, too. 
> 
> Next outtake in line:  
> \- Balin during the river scene and beyond. 
> 
>  
> 
> Still revising Chapter 15 and it’s taking longer than I wanted. If anyone wants to beta for this story, send me a PM!
> 
> All feedback is appreciated. Happy readings!

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to make this series for a while. Each chapter is either a missing moment from An Unexpected Interference or an extra scene that helps understanding the plot. Several POV's. Beware of spoilers.
> 
> I also take prompts. Suggest away.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr: **http://madametortilla.tumblr.com/**


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